Actor-turned-director and activist Robert Redford, one of Hollywood’s most well-known leading men and an influential supporter of independent film, has died at the age of 89. His publicist Cindi Berger confirmed the death to CBC News on Tuesday, saying he passed away in his home in Sundance in the mountains of Utah, “the place he […]
Arts Entertainments
Author Robert Munsch is approved for MAID, but his daughter clarifies he’s ‘not dying’
He first said it years ago: the stories will be the last to go. And now, prolific and iconic children’s author Robert Munsch — beloved for his stories about a plucky princess named Elizabeth, about Mortimer’s bedtime protest song, about a little boy whose mother will love him forever — is saying that even though the stories still remain with […]
14 Canadian books make 2025 Giller Prize longlist
Fourteen books have been longlisted for the 2025 Giller Prize. The $100,000 award annually recognizes the best in Canadian fiction. The 2025 longlist features 12 novels and two short story collections, covering a wide range of subjects, from a 1800s train disaster, to life working in a nail salon and the stories of abducted children in Uganda. It includes three […]
Pro-Palestinian statements, politics take the stage at 77th Emmy awards
Alongside the big wins and red carpet glamour of the 77th Emmy Awards, multiple stars took the award show as a chance to make political statements. Hacks star Hannah Einbinder made the first and most prominent political statement of the night in her acceptance speech after winning best supporting actress in a comedy. She shouted out […]
The Studio, Adolescence win big at the 2025 Emmy Awards
Stars of television shows The Pitt, The White Lotus and Hacks strutted on the red carpet on Sunday for Hollywood’s Emmy Awards, where Seth Rogen’s The Studio showed off a stunning run of successes. The Studio star Seth Rogen was the first of the night to take home gold, earning the Canadian actor his first Emmy after nine career nominations. Despite going on to […]
The Road Between Us wins People’s Choice Award for best documentary at TIFF
A controversial documentary about a retired Israeli general’s rescue mission on Oct. 7, 2023, has won the People’s Choice Award for best documentary at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue, directed by Barry Avrich, drew competing pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests outside its single screening this week. The list of […]
Documentary about groundbreaking Lilith Fair premieres at TIFF
6 hours ago News Duration 2:18 The Toronto International Film Festival is hosting the premiere of Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery, about Sarah McLachlan’s all-women music festival that ran from 1997 to 1999 and featured artists including Missy Elliott and Nelly Furtado while facing plenty of pushback. CBC’s Makda Ghebreslassie reports from the red carpet.
The Pitt and other medical shows finally acknowledge ‘backbone’ of health care: Filipino nurses
Read this story in Tagalog. / Basahin ang artikulo na ito sa Tagalog. As a registered nurse, Charlee Flores has always taken an interest in how her profession is portrayed on television. But when she started watching the HBO Max medical drama The Pitt and the NBC comedy series St. Denis Medical, she was heartened […]
Music festival cancels performance led by Israeli conductor over war in Gaza
European politicians are condemning a Belgian classical music festival’s decision to cancel an upcoming performance led by an Israeli conductor due to concerns over where he stands on the war in Gaza. Organizers of the Flanders Festival Ghent announced on Wednesday they were cancelling a performance by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra slated for Sept. 18. […]
Ego Nwodim is leaving SNL cast after seven seasons
Ego Nwodim is the latest — and perhaps last — high-profile departure from Saturday Night Live, as the long-running sketch show has seen a cast shakeup ahead of its 51st season. Nwodim announced Friday on Instagram that she would not be returning — and suggested she’d have more time now to attend weddings. Nwodim joined as a […]
Actress Ayo Edebiri shuts down interviewer who tried to exclude her from question on #MeToo and #BLM
Actress Ayo Edebiri is garnering applause for her response after an interviewer tried to shut her out of a question about the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements in a recent interview. Edebiri and co-stars Andrew Garfield and Julia Roberts were promoting their film After the Hunt on Italy’s ArtsLife TV when reporter journalist Federica […]
Actress Polly Holliday, sassy sidekick on hit sitcom Alice, dead at 88
Polly Holliday, a Tony Award-nominated screen and stage actor who turned the catchphrase “Kiss my grits!”into a national retort as the gum-chewing, beehive-wearing waitress aboard the long-running CBS sitcom Alice, has died. She was 88. Holliday died Tuesday at her home in New York, said her theatrical agent, Dennis Aspland. She was the last surviving […]
Degrassi co-creator settles lawsuit, TIFF premiere to go ahead as planned
Degrassi co-creator Linda Schuyler has settled a short-lived dispute with producers and production companies WildBrain and Peacock Alley over the new Degrassi documentary. Schuyler initially filed a lawsuit to halt the Saturday premiere of Degrassi: Whatever It Takes at the Toronto International Film Festival, alleging that “defamatory statements and innuendo” in the film lead viewers to […]
A decade after her last album, Hilary Duff alludes to new music on the way
A decade after the release of her last album, Hilary Duff is returning with new music. The singer announced her return on Instagram in a post that appears to show her in a recording studio alongside her musician husband, Matthew Koma, with a caption that reads “new music … or something.” She’d previously teased her […]
James McAvoy punched at Toronto bar, apparently unprovoked, while in city for film fest
Actor James McAvoy was punched by a man at a downtown Toronto bar, apparently unprovoked, late on Monday evening. A source connected to the actor confirmed to CBC News that, as was first reported by People magazine, a man punched McAvoy without warning while being escorted out of Charlotte’s Room, a bar just a few blocks from the headquarters […]
Banksy mural depicting judge beating protester will be removed from London court wall
A new mural by the elusive British street artist Banksy showing a judge beating an unarmed protester with a gavel will be removed from a wall outside one of London’s most iconic courts, authorities said Monday. The mural appeared Monday and depicts a protester lying on the ground holding a blood-splattered placard while a judge […]
How much of The Rock was in The Smashing Machine?
Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson says his experiences both in and out of the ring were ‘everything’ in portraying mixed martial arts fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, which had its North American premiere at TIFF on Monday.
Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga stun with big performances and wins at MTV’s Video Music Awards
Pop singer Ariana Grande claimed the top prize at the MTV Video Music Awards, while Lady Gaga and Sabrina Carpenter scored major honours at a star-studded celebration of fan favourites in New York on Sunday. In addition to video of the year, Grande took home the award for best pop video, and had the audience buzzing when she thanked her “therapists and […]
N.S. native J.D. Fortune reflects on 20 years since Rock Star: INXS
For a few weeks in 2005, Nova Scotia native J.D. Fortune was living in his car in Toronto with his pug, Presley. Listening to the radio, Fortune, then 31, heard an ad talking about auditions for an upcoming CBS reality television show. The program, Rock Star, saw 15 contestants vie to become the new lead singer for Australian band […]
TIFF 2025: Brendan Fraser’s phenomenal Rental Family is an easy best picture contender
Rental Family both begins and ends with a funeral while throwing a story of one in the middle. One is real, one is fake. And one shows why all-important moments are actually a mixture of both. That bizarre and backwards truism is a useful way into this movie — the rare example of a film actually introducing […]
Rian Johnson on why his Knives Out films and TIFF go hand-in-hand
Director Rian Johnson credits Toronto International Film Festival fans as a reason why he’s picked the festival for the world-wide premiere of his Knives Out franchise three times in a row.
TIFF 2025: Cillian Murphy’s Steve is a dour, dark delight
The first actor to ever win two consecutive Oscars didn’t exactly break the mould to do so. Spencer Tracy snagged his first trophy for the 1937 sleeper hit Captains Courageous — a Rudyard Kipling adaptation starring Tracy as a questionably accented Portuguese fisherman, forced to care for and educate a belligerent youngster — a youngster who, it turns […]
Sydney Sweeney and other Hollywood stars arrive for day 2 of TIFF
Sydney Sweeney was among the Hollywood stars who arrived early on day two of the Toronto International Film Festival Friday, ahead of the world premiere of David Michôd’s biographical sports drama Christy, starring Sweeney as pioneering women’s boxer Christy Martin. TIFF is expected to welcome a wave of stars including Angelina Jolie, Keanu Reeves and Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson […]
Justin Bieber to drop surprise album Swag II at midnight
Justin Bieber fans didn’t have to wait long for a followup to his surprise summer album Swag — he’s dropping Swag II tonight. The Canadian music superstar revealed in a series of posts on his Instagram account that the album will be released at midnight. The images in his posts showed buildings and billboards lit in pink with “SWAG […]
Toronto film festival kicks off with John Candy doc. Here’s what else is happening on Day 1
The 50th Toronto International Film Festival kicks off today with the world premiere of John Candy: I Like Me, a documentary celebrating the late Canadian comedian. Candy’s family will walk the red carpet alongside the opening-night film’s executive producer Ryan Reynolds and director Colin Hanks. The documentary will feature the Toronto-raised actor’s life on and off camera, with exclusive home videos, […]
Mamma mia! Contested Swedish cultural heritage list includes IKEA — but not ABBA
Pippi Longstocking, IKEA and the Nobel Prize are among 100 works, brands and ideas deemed to define what it means to be Swedish, according to a cultural heritage list presented to the government on Tuesday. But one of the country’s most notable exports was snubbed — the legendary pop group ABBA. Drawing up such a list, […]
Who is Vogue’s new editor Chloe Malle, and how does she intend to put her own stamp on the magazine?
What’s the most important thing you need to know about Chloe Malle, the woman taking over from legendary Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour? Is it that she’s a “proud nepo baby” (her words), the child of late film director Louis Malle and Oscar nominated, Emmy winning actor Candice Bergen — who, coincidentally, graced the cover of Vogue herself […]
Kevin Costner, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon pay tribute to Indigenous actor Graham Greene
Kevin Costner on Tuesday remembered Canadian actor Graham Greene as a “master at work and a wonderful human being,” in a social media post depicting one of their scenes together in 1990’s Dances With Wolves. Greene, the Oneida actor from the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, died on Monday at the age of 73, his manager confirmed […]
Barrie, Ont.’s Veronika Slowikowska joins SNL, sole Canadian among 5 new cast members
Live from New York, Canadian comic Veronika Slowikowska will soon grace the stage of NBC’s venerable sketch comedy show on Saturday nights starting this fall. Slowikowska, from Barrie, Ont., will be among five new cast members joining Saturday Night Live when its 51st season premieres on Oct. 4. She has grown a large following on Instagram […]
Oscar-nominated actor Graham Greene dead at 73
Oscar-nominated actor Graham Greene died Monday in Stratford, Ont., at the age of 73, his manager has confirmed to CBC News. “It is with deep sadness we announce the peaceful passing of award-winning legendary Canadian actor Graham Greene,” Gerry Jordan said. The Oneida actor from the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario was best known for film […]
Lights, camera, brands: TIFF fans feel squeezed out as red carpets go corporate
When Sandi Leung visited a Toronto International Film Festival red carpet for the first time in 2015, she realized she could walk up to almost any part of the red carpet and — if she spent a few hours waiting — finagle a selfie with the likes of Eddie Redmayne or Kevin Bacon. Lately, that […]
Big shakeups coming to SNL as four cast members exit the sketch show
Ahead of Saturday Night Live’s upcoming 51st season, some major shakeups are coming to the cast. Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker and Emil Wakim all announced their departures from the show on social media this week. Heidi Gardner — who has become a core part of the show in her eight seasons with SNL, playing characters […]
Canadian kids network Family Channel to shutter in coming months
After nearly 40 years on air, the iconic kids TV network Family Channel — home to favourites like Life With Derek, The Next Step and Yo Gabba Gabba! — is set to shut down in the coming months. Toronto-based company WildBrain announced this week it would be shuttering four of its channels because they were “no […]
Top Boy actor Micheal Ward granted bail in U.K. court over rape and sexual assault charges
British actor Micheal Ward was granted bail Thursday after appearing at a central London court to face charges of rape and sexual assault. The 27-year-old, who starred as Jamie in the Netflix crime drama Top Boy, faces two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The charges first made headlines last month, while the alleged […]
KPop Demon Hunters wasn’t a sure thing. It’s now Netflix’s most-watched movie — ever
Toronto’s Maggie Kang may be sitting on the hottest movie of the year, which as of Tuesday earned 236 million views — more streams than any other Netflix film ever. And she may have just launched that juggernaut streamer’s first hugely successful theatrical release, with sing-along screenings scheduled for screaming fans around the world. But that doesn’t mean KPop […]
Toronto filmmaker’s The Things You Kill is Canada’s submission at the Oscars
Iranian Canadian filmmaker Alireza Khatami’s psychological thriller, inspired by his own family trauma, is Canada’s submission for consideration at the Academy Awards. He just hopes his relatives don’t see the film. Telefilm Canada announced on Tuesday that The Things You Kill will be submitted as Canada’s entry for best international feature. Earlier this year, the movie premiered […]
The Roses is a perfectly terrifying takedown of love
“The work goes on!” chant two towheaded ten-year-olds, testing out their new mantra while transitioning from yet another 10K into even more windsprints. Of course, this is strange. And not only because their self-improvement obsessed father, Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch), is standing behind them grinning maniacally with a stopwatch. And not just because barely 20 minutes […]
Lil Nas X pleads not guilty to 4 felonies following naked altercation with L.A. police
Lil Nas X was charged Monday with four felonies after police say he charged at them when they confronted him for walking naked down a Los Angeles street last week, prosecutors announced. The musician, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, pleaded not guilty in a court appearance to three counts of battery with injury on a […]
#TheMoment a Justin Bieber impersonator fooled a Vegas nightclub
Gryffin, a DJ performing in Las Vegas tells The National about the moment he thought Justin Bieber joined him on stage to perform during his set, but later learned he was an impersonator.
Sarah McLachlan’s daughter offered to skip graduation to see her mom perform with one of Gen Z’s favourite DJs
Sarah McLachlan wasn’t about to skip her daughter’s high school graduation for a splashy gig in Ibiza with American DJ John Summit. But it’s a suggestion the singer-songwriter says her 18-year-old made earlier this summer in hopes she might tag along with her mom for the party of a lifetime. McLachlan’s voice features on Summit’s fresh […]
From The Beatles to Taylor Swift, why stadium concerts still resonate with fans
The Sunday MagazineHow stadium concerts changed live music, from The Beatles to Taylor Swift If Mary Grace Bova could choose to relive just one day in her life, she wouldn’t hesitate for a second. It would be August 15, 1965. She was just 14, sitting in the “very overwhelming” stands of Shea Stadium in New […]
Oasis reunion tour set to hit Toronto
Oasis fans are primed for two upcoming concerts in Toronto, but residents and ticket holders are concerned about noise and traffic around Rogers Stadium.
Former Mastodon singer-guitarist Brent Hinds dead at 51 in motorcycle crash
Brent Hinds, the former singer-guitarist for the Grammy-winning heavy metal band Mastodon, has died in a motorcycle accident in Atlanta, the band and authorities said. He was 51. Hinds was killed while riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle late Wednesday night when the driver of a BMW SUV failed to yield while making a turn, according to […]
Lil Nas X jailed on suspicion of charging at L.A. police after being found nearly naked on street
Rapper Lil Nas X was arrested and briefly taken to a hospital for a suspected overdose on Thursday after Los Angeles police say he charged at officers responding to a report of a naked man walking on a busy boulevard. Lil Nas X, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, was booked on suspicion of […]
Ne Zha II is the biggest movie in the world right now. Why is that again?
When you look at the numbers, they can be difficult to believe. Not only the first non-Hollywood film to gross over $1 billion US, but one that eventually went on to earn over $2.2 billion and counting — with virtually all of that coming from its home country of China. That makes Ne Zha II the highest-grossing animated movie […]
French streamers’ broadcasted death prompts outcry while authorities investigate possible abuse
The death of a French streamer during a days-long broadcast on the platform Kick, in which he’d allegedly been harmed and humiliated for viewers’ entertainment, has sparked mass outrage and investigation by authorities. Raphael Graven, 46, who went by Jean Pormanove online, died on Monday near Nice during a broadcast on the Kick livestreaming platform that had […]
TikTok Canada is closing soon. The Beaches and bbno$ warn it will hurt homegrown artists
In 2021, a TikTok of Canadian rapper bbno$ raising his eyebrows to the beat of his single Edamame started gaining traction — and eventually changed the course of his career. The platform’s Canadian team suggested he recreate the clip with a safari-themed filter, then helped push it globally. “When that happened, the song just skyrocketed,” he […]
TIFF CEO apologizes for pulling and reinviting documentary about Oct. 7 to the festival
CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival, Cameron Bailey, apologized for any hurt caused by the festival’s decision to pull and then reinvite a film about the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas. “I want to apologize for any hurt, frustration, or disappointment that our communication about the film has caused, and for any mischaracterizations that have […]
Justin Bieber look-alike crashes Vegas nightclub, racks up $10K bill
Impersonator Dylan Desclos was banned from a Las Vegas nightclub after performing multiple Justin Bieber songs onstage and ordering around $10,000 worth of bottle service.
Aubrey Plaza opens up about grieving husband’s death: ‘It’s a daily struggle, obviously’
Actor Aubrey Plaza appeared on Parks and Recreation co-star Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang on Tuesday, opening up about the death of her husband Jeff Baena. Baena, a director and writer behind indie successes ranging from absurdist drama I Heart Huckabees to black comedy The Little Hours, died January at 47. His death was ruled a suicide. “People want […]
‘Skibidi’ and ‘tradwife’ are now part of the Cambridge Dictionary
What the skibidi is happening to the English language? “Skibidi,” pronounced SKI-bih-dee, is one of the slang terms popularized by social media that are among more than 6,000 additions this year to the Cambridge Dictionary. “Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary,” said […]
‘Ketamine Queen’ accused of supplying drugs to actor Matthew Perry to plead guilty
A woman known as the “Ketamine Queen,” charged with selling Matthew Perry the drug that killed him, agreed to plead guilty Monday. Jasveen Sangha becomes the fifth and final defendant charged in the overdose death of the Friends star to strike a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, avoiding a trial that had been planned for September. […]
Norval Morrisseau family, estate rep have long said they’re art fraud victims. Court docs question that
A Radio-Canada investigation that included looking into a civil lawsuit indicates members of Norval Morrisseau’s family and the man representing the late Indigenous artist’s estate — who for years have presented themselves as the main victims of forgers and art dealers — might have played a role in this system that continues to undermine his legacy. Ritchie […]
Terrence Stamp, U.K. actor who played General Zod in early Superman films, dead at 87
Terence Stamp, the British actor who often portrayed complex villains, including General Zod in the early Superman films, has died. He was 87. His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online. The London-born Stamp started his film career with 1962’s seafaring Billy Budd, for which he earned an Oscar nomination. Stamp’s six decades […]
Why Hollywood will never stop remaking, rebooting and recycling the old same stories
The Naked Gun. 28 Days Later. I Know What You Did Last Summer. Jurassic Park. Thought these are all titles from 2025, you could be forgiven for thinking they came from Moviefone. This year’s summer blockbuster season has been dominated by nostalgic fare: reboots, remakes and sequels. And while the retold story has been an element of […]
Why Formula 1 romances have us racing to the bookstores
Formula One romance books are having a moment, capitalizing on a new generation of motorsport fans. (Berkley, Avon Books, Simon & Schuster) When Nova Scotian writer Amy James first attended the Formula One (F1) Canadian Grand Prix in 2019, she brought a book with her, thinking she would be bored for most of the race. […]
Location sharing is part of social life with Gen Z — but it can take a mental toll
Chantle Jovellanos knows were all 22 of her closes friends and family members are at any given time, with the help of Apple’s Find My function. The 18-year-old from Toronto checks it when she’s on her way to meet up with someone to see if they’re running late, or occasionally just to see what friends are up to, though never, […]
Maggie Kang created the extreme faces of KPop Demon Hunters
KPop Demon Hunters is big in every way possible — it’s visually stunning, it’s wildly emotional, and it’s insanely popular. The movie follows K-Pop girl group Huntrix, a fictional trio of superheroes, as they use the power of song to protect the world from demons. The animated superhero movie has been near the top of the Netflix rankings for […]
Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest drags down a Kurosawa classic
Why Spike Lee made Highest 2 Lowest is decidedly unclear. Sure, there’s the fact that he’s a celebrated writer and director with no signs of slowing down — when presented with the opportunity, why not make a crime-thriller starring hitters as heavy as Denzel Washington and Jeffrey Wright? And the allure is all the more […]
U.S. composer’s copyright claims to Baby Shark song dismissed by South Korean Supreme Court
South Korea’s Supreme Court has rejected a 30-million won ($21,600 US) damage claim by an American composer who accused a South Korean kids content company of plagiarizing his version of Baby Shark, ending a six-year legal battle over the globally popular tune known for its catchy “doo doo doo doo doo doo” hook. On Thursday, the […]
Taylor Swift unveils cover art, release date for upcoming album
Taylor Swift has unveiled the track list and release date for her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. It will arrive Oct. 3, she revealed Wednesday. Swift, Max Martin and Shellback are the credited producers, which includes a notable absence of her longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff. The album-closing title track will feature Sabrina Carpenter. […]
TIFF pulls documentary about Oct. 7 attack from lineup over security and rights concerns
The Toronto International Film Festival has pulled from its lineup a documentary detailing one family’s experiences of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas over footage rights and security issues, though the festival says it is still trying to work through those concerns with the filmmakers. In an emailed statement, the filmmaking team behind the documentary […]
Taylor Swift surprises fans with newly announced album, The Life of a Showgirl
Swifties, rejoice: Taylor Swift is coming back with her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. Swift, who has won 14 Grammys, including an unprecedented four trophies for album of the year, announced the album early Tuesday in a teaser for a podcast episode with her boyfriend and NFL star, Travis Kelce, and his brother, Jason Kelce. […]
Madonna, U2 speak out on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza
Madonna and U2 have each shone attention on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, among the biggest music stars to do so since the war in the Palestinian enclave began in late 2023 after Hamas’s deadly rampage in southern Israel. The statements hours apart took different forms. Madonna’s post on Instagram was an open letter to […]
Dirty soda trend arrives in Canada as ‘Mormon Wives’ series shakes up interest
Jeremy Guenette was sitting in an Idaho parking lot waiting for his kids to finish back-to-school shopping two years ago, when he noticed business was booming at a nearby truck mixing colas, cream and fruity flavours. “For about 45 minutes, I just watched people come and go from the Soda Tsunami. They probably had about […]
These 2 cooking games look similar. Is it cultural erasure, an homage or straight up theft?
When Abhi Swaminathan opened up a mobile cooking game called Sofra, his first reaction was to be amused. He thought it looked extremely similar to his own narrative cooking game, Venba — with a few critical changes. “The assets I saw in the game were pretty one-to-one. They were lifted, and in my eyes, they […]
Sellouts for Nolan’s The Odyssey show audiences’ hunger for movies projected via film
A shattered statue, scattered amber, smoke plumes, a hint of defiance, a release date and a director’s name — the theatrical teaser and accompanying poster for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey was all it took for the film to sell out select cinemas a year in advance of its July 17, 2026, release date. The select theatres — 16 in the […]
Tragically Hip offers helping hand to Canada women’s rugby team fundraising campaign
The Tragically Hip is doing its bit to help support the Canadian women’s rugby team ahead of this month’s World Cup in England. The iconic Canadian band is selling a limited-edition T-shirt with proceeds going to supporting the second-ranked Canadian women. “This team is the embodiment of what it means to be Canadian — passionate, […]
Sellouts for Nolan’s The Odyssey shows audiences’ hunger for movies projected via film
A shattered statue, scattered amber, smoke plumes, a hint of defiance, a release date and a director’s name — the theatrical teaser and accompanying poster for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey was all it took for the film to sell out select cinemas a year in advance of its July 17, 2026, release date. The select theatres — 16 in the […]
Francis Ford Coppola says he’s doing well following medical procedure in Rome
Francis Ford Coppola, the acclaimed American director of The Godfather movies and Apocalypse Now, underwent a non-emergency medical procedure by appointment at a hospital in Rome and is doing fine, he and a U.S.-based representative said on Tuesday. “Mr. Coppola went in for a scheduled update procedure with acclaimed Dr. Andrea Natale, his doctor of over 30 […]
Junos introduce Latin music category in effort to recognize more Canadian-made sounds
Organizers at the Juno Awards, Canada’s biggest music awards show, say they plan to introduce Latin music recording of the year at the 2026 edition. The new category will recognize Canadian musicians across all Latin American languages and genres who’ve released music in the eligible year. It’s the latest move by the Junos to diversify […]
Oasis ‘shocked and saddened’ after fan falls to death at London stadium concert
Entertainment The Metropolitan Police force said officers and paramedics responded to reports of an injured person just before 10:30 p.m. local time on Saturday night. It said a man in his 40s was found “with injuries consistent with a fall.” He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police seeking more information on Saturday’s incident; band’s […]
Loni Anderson, actor in hit 1980s show WKRP in Cincinnati, dead at 79
Loni Anderson, who played a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist on the hit TV comedy WKRP in Cincinnati, died Sunday — just days before her 80th birthday. Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a prolonged illness, said her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan. “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, […]
Was Fantastic Four’s plot spoiled by trailers? Insiders say reveals are there on purpose
Day 6How to enjoy a movie in the era of strategic spoilers The excitement was high when Marvel Studios‘ Fantastic Four: First Steps stormed into theatres in July. Many fans were eager to see the iconic quartet of heroes on film for the first time since 2015. But for some, the thrill was dampened by […]
The YouTube-ification of streaming? Why Netflix is making big deals with YouTubers
YouTube-ification? Is that a thing? It appears to be what’s happening now with Netflix and other streaming services. Some of YouTube’s hottest creators are landing lucrative deals to bring their shows to even wider audiences on streaming services where bigger production budgets mean they can take their content to the next level. Beloved children’s educator and entertainer […]
Corporation for Public Broadcasting plans closure after U.S. government defunds the non-profit
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a cornerstone of U.S. culture for three generations, announced Friday it’s taking steps toward its own closure after Congress defunded it. It would mark the end of a nearly six-decade era of fuelling the production of renowned educational programming, cultural content and even emergency alerts. The planned closure of CPB, which was […]
Chief of War is a brutal look at the history of the real Hawaii, both dark and hopeful
A battle-weary warrior, seeking peace in obscurity. A tyrannical, war-mongering ex-leader pulling him out of self-imposed banishment to fight once again. A prophecy; a calling. A sweeping, blood-drenched epic in which the ensuing military conflict will surely define the politics and culture of the region for many years to come. No, this is not Brad Pitt […]
Justin Timberlake reveals ‘debilitating’ Lyme disease diagnosis as he wraps world tour
American singer Justin Timberlake says he has been diagnosed with Lyme disease and is coping with health issues that have affected him physically and mentally. “Living with this can be relentlessly debilitating,” he said in a lengthy message to fans posted to Instagram on Wednesday. The 44-year old said he wanted to “shed some light about what he’s […]
How an anti-porn lobby on payment processors censored thousands of video games
Video game developers are speaking out after two popular PC games stores made it harder — even impossible — to purchase thousands of games and other digital artworks, as a result of pressure exerted by an Australian anti-porn advocacy group. The takedown came after Collective Shout successfully lobbied payment networks and processors to stop facilitating financial transactions from storefronts […]
The Naked Gun wants to revive classic comedy, but truly shines when it dares to be new
There is a joke in Liam Neeson’s The Naked Gun. Of course, there is more than one. When it comes to jokes, the extremely late reboot of Leslie Nielsen’s detective comedy series is about as jam-packed as his co-star Pamela Anderson’s skin-tight dress. But this one is a subtle and running gag Neeson’s Lt. Frank […]
Director Christopher Nolan criticized for filming The Odyssey in disputed Western Sahara
Revered Hollywood director Christopher Nolan’s next summer blockbuster won’t hit theatres until July 17, 2026, and it’s already setting precedents — and courting controversy. The man behind box office hits like Oppenheimer and Inception is currently filming a big-screen version of Homer’s post-Trojan War epic The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o and […]
Trump vs. TV: A play-by-play of a wild week taking on the U.S. president’s naysayers
First he came for late-night TV, then a daytime talk show and a crude cartoon. U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration are fighting battles on all fronts when it comes to mockery and criticism of the 47th commander-in-chief. As speculation swirls that CBS might have turfed The Late Show with Stephen Colbert because of his recent […]
How U.S. Christian musician Sean Feucht put freedom of expression to the test in Canada
Had you heard of Sean Feucht before this month? If you hadn’t, you likely have now. The U.S.-based Christian musician wasn’t exactly a household name or selling out the biggest concert venues in this country, but his recent concert tour in Eastern and Central Canada has put him in the spotlight in the past couple of weeks, as permits […]
MuchMusic launches interview archive on new YouTube channel
A deep library of MuchMusic’s celebrity interviews has found a new home on YouTube. Bell Media says Much Rewind launched last week as the official public archive of pop-culture moments that once aired on the nation’s music TV station. So far, the collection is slim, with little more than a handful of interviews that include […]
Abel Tesfaye returns to Toronto to kill The Weeknd
Unlike Taylor Swift’s meteorite-like crash landing in the sweaty city of Toronto, there were no friendship bead-wearing police horses at The Weeknd’s first showing in the Six. Instead, a more subdued air surrounded Rogers Centre as fans funnelled in: Low-key Starboy tracks warbling into the 30 C drippingly-wet air blanketing the stadium in the heart of […]
Toronto’s ‘Starboy’, aka The Weeknd, receives a key to the city
Toronto’s very own Starboy has been awarded a key to the city ahead of his highly anticipated concerts at Rogers Centre. Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. the Weeknd, received the honour from Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow during a private ceremony on Saturday. “I’m deeply honoured to receive the key to the city. It feels good to be home. […]
Doctor who sold Friends actor Matthew Perry ketamine before death pleads guilty
A doctor pleaded guilty Wednesday to giving Matthew Perry ketamine in the month leading up to the Friends star’s overdose death. Dr. Salvador Plasencia became the fourth of the five people charged in connection with Perry’s death to plead guilty. He stood next to his lawyer and admitted guilt to four counts to Judge Sherilyn Peace […]
Hulk Hogan, iconic pro wrestling star, dead at 71
Hulk Hogan, who helped lead professional wrestling’s rise in popularity in the 1980s and beyond, has died, Florida police and World Wrestling Entertainment said Thursday. He was 71. “WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,” the organization said in a statement. “One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan […]
As Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson reunite, here’s why it might just heal millennials
Hark, do you hear it? It’s faint. Barely a whisper over the non-stop global catastrophes, two decades of unprecedented times, multiple economic downturns, robots, the realization we should already be saving for retirement, random joint pain and looming perimenopause. It is the sound of elder millennials healing. Late Monday, actor Katie Holmes announced on Instagram that she and fellow […]
‘Go f–k yourself!’: What Stephen Colbert and other late-night hosts had to say after Late Show cancellation
There was a show of late-night solidarity on Monday night as The Late Show host Stephen Colbert’s comrades rallied behind him after CBS said it was cancelling his program in 2026. Thursday’s announcement was met with shock as well as harsh criticism with many suggesting it was another concession to U.S. President Donald Trump by the network and its parent company, […]
Canadian singer Matthew Good says ‘big political correction’ needed before he’ll tour U.S. again
Canadian rocker Matthew Good has cut upcoming U.S. shows from his summer tour, saying he can’t support government policies and political divisions south of the border and that he’s unlikely to perform in the country again until political tides turn. Good, 54, announced the cancellations in a Facebook post on Friday morning, saying he’s willing to “risk […]
The Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner dead at 54 after accidental drowning
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for playing Bill Cosby’s son on the hit NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, has died at the age of 54 in an accidental drowning while on holiday with his family in Central America. TMZ and People first reported his death. The Associated Press reported Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department said Warner drowned Sunday while he […]
Here’s what to expect at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival
Films starring Sydney Sweeney, Angelina Jolie and Aziz Ansari will premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, festival organizers announced Monday. TIFF laid out the selections to its galas and special presentations programs, which make up the bulk of the red carpet premieres to North America’s largest film festival. Films making their world premieres […]
How AI, robotics and late artist Morrisseau are helping fight art fraud
Famed Indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau was browsing a Vancouver gallery with his longtime friend Cory Dingle around 1993 when a painting stopped them in their tracks. The pair asked who created it. The answer? “Norval Morrisseau.” The trouble? The artist had never seen the work, let alone painted it. “We had a little chuckle and we left,” Dingle […]
With Colbert exit, Canada will lose the talk show host most attuned to our whims and politics
The cancellation next year of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, announced by the host on Thursday night’s broadcast, is resonating as the most significant news in the television landscape in some time. The reactions on social media range from surprise to dismay: Colbert has been in that seat for a decade and is the ratings leader among late night shows […]
P.E.I. Symphony Orchestra’s music director wins national award — the last of its kind
Jaelem Bhate remembers the moment he realized music wouldn’t be an easy path. A number of years ago, he switched from pursuing a science degree to studying music academically, transferring to the University of British Columbia’s School of Music. That same year, he failed his first pop quiz in music theory. “My path to music […]
Ottawa weighs plans on AI, copyright as OpenAI fights Ontario court jurisdiction
Canada’s artificial intelligence minister is keeping a close watch on court cases in Canada and the U.S. to determine next steps for Ottawa’s regulatory approach to AI. Some AI companies have claimed early wins south of the border, and OpenAI is now fighting the jurisdiction of an Ontario court to hear a lawsuit by news publishers. Evan […]
Calls for Canada to bar bands Kneecap, Bob Vylan over anti-Israel messages test limits of free expression
Chanting for the death of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). Waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert. Cheering for Hamas. Calling on fans in the U.K. to “kill your local MP.” These are a few of the things that have a Jewish and Israeli advocacy organization and some Canadian politicians calling for the Irish rap group Kneecap […]
Eddington is a political satire by horror auteur Ari Aster. But is it also a western?
Is Eddington a western? To believe writer/director Ari Aster, of course it is. Despite the fact that the Joaquin Phoenix-led feature is from the twisted mind that brought you Midsommar, Hereditary and Beau Is Afraid, Aster has not let up in interviews from dubbing it one. And if we’re thinking geographically, it would be impossible […]
Stephen Colbert and CBS both say his show will end in May 2026
CBS is axing The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in May 2026, the host told an audience at a taping on Thursday. The announcement came two days after Colbert spoke out against Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, settling a lawsuit with U.S. President Donald Trump over a 60 Minutes story. Colbert told the audience that he had learned […]
American singer Connie Francis, whose hits include Pretty Little Baby, dead at 87
Connie Francis, the wholesome pop star of the 1950s and ’60s whose hits include Pretty Little Baby, has died at 87. Her death was announced Thursday by her friend and publicist Ron Roberts, who did not immediately provide additional details. Francis was a top performer of the pre-Beatles era, rarely off the charts from 1957 to […]
Fire destroys main stage of Belgium’s Tomorrowland music festival before event
A massive fire at Belgium’s Tomorrowland music festival site “severely damaged” the main stage on Wednesday, two days before the event was due to start. Flames engulfed the stage in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, igniting fireworks on site and sending plumes of black smoke billowing into the air around 6 p.m. local time. ”Due to a serious […]
Lead cast announced for The Legend of Zelda live-action film, coming May 2027
The lead actors, along with an expected release date, were announced Wednesday for the live-action film of the popular Nintendo game,The Legend of Zelda. The announcement from Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo’s representative director and renowned video game designer, was posted on X. Link, the main protagonist, will be played by English actor Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, while English actress Bo Bragason will […]
Andrea Gibson, queer poet whose work unflinchingly probed life and mortality, dead at 49
Andrea Gibson, a celebrated poet and performance artist who through their verse explored gender identity, politics and their experience with terminal ovarian cancer, died Monday at age 49. Gibson’s death was announced on social media by their wife, Megan Falley. Gibson and Falley are the main subjects of the documentary Come See Me in the […]
Canadian Seth Rogen’s The Studio leads comedy noms for Primetime Emmys. Here’s who’s vying for TV’s top prize
Canadian Seth Rogen nabbed three major nominations as the 77th Primetime Emmy Award nominations were announced in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Rogen created the Apple TV+ comedy The Studio, which was among the nominees for outstanding comedy series along with Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking and What We […]
Gorky Park, Havana Bay mystery author Martin Cruz Smith dead at 82
Martin Cruz Smith, the bestselling mystery novelist who engaged readers for decades with Gorky Park and other thrillers featuring Moscow investigator Arkady Renko, has died at age 82. Smith died Friday at a senior living community in San Rafael, Calif., “surrounded by those he loved,” according to his publisher, Simon & Schuster. Smith revealed a decade […]
Who won Love Island USA? Winning couple crowned after tumultuous Season 7
Spoiler alert: This article includes details from the series finale of the reality series Love Island USA. Love Island USA ended a tumultuous summer full of explosive breakups and shock exits with its season finale on Sunday. A public vote crowned Amaya Espinal, 25, and Bryan Arenales, 28, as the winning couple of its seventh season. […]
5 things to know about Swag, Justin Bieber’s new album
Justin Bieber has finally returned with a new album, Swag — his first full-length record since 2021’s Justice. The 21-song project has a runtime of more than 51 minutes, and sees Bieber collaborate with artists including Gunna, Cash Cobain, Sexyy Red, and Mk.gee. Touching on themes spanning marriage, fame and fatherhood, Swag was released on Friday, less than […]
Musicians fight uphill battle as AI infiltrates streaming platforms, cutting into royalties
Musicians are calling for regulations and finding creative ways to fight back as AI “bands” climb the charts on streaming platforms, soaking up already meagre royalty payments. But as a major musicians’ union works for legal change, a copyright expert says the law is failing to keep up with artificial intelligence. This comes as an act called The Velvet Sundown has hit […]
Love Island USA contestants face harsh reality on social media
Love Island USA Season 7 has pulled in a huge audience, but beyond the villa, contestants and their families have faced a wave of hate online, prompting a warning from the production to stop the cyberbullying.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin says he didn’t mean to insult Rogers Stadium after calling it ‘weird’
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin says he didn’t mean to insult Toronto’s newest concert venue when he called it a “weird stadium in the middle of nowhere.” Martin issued the clarification Friday during the third of four concerts at the newly built Rogers Stadium, which is on the outskirts of the city. He says he “never […]
Sports fans ‘flabbergasted’ after Sportsnet announces double-digit price hike
Canadian sports fans are tearing into Sportsnet after they learned its streaming service will be hiking prices by double digits before the next hockey season. Sportsnet, which is owned by Rogers Sports & Media, announced in an email to customers Thursday that it will raise the annual price of its Sportsnet+ premium package by 30 per cent, from […]
Winnipeg Folk Fest thrives amid cruel summer for Canadian multi-artist events
Nineteen years ago, Gary Conway bought a ticket to the Winnipeg Folk Festival to hear singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn. Conway intended to spend a single day at the festival in Birds Hill Provincial Park. He ended up attending every festival since 2006. “We like just the energy and the spirit of the place. The vibe is just […]
Justin Bieber teases what appears to be a surprise new album
A new Justin Bieber album appears to be on the way. The Canadian pop star posted several posters of billboards in various cities on his Instagram Thursday, showing what looks like the artwork and track listing for an album called Swag. This came after an article from The Hollywood Reporter saying Bieber will drop his […]
Paul McCartney to play Hamilton and Montreal this fall — the only Canadian stops in North American tour
Paul McCartney has a ticket to ride to Hamilton, where he’s taking his Got Back tour in November. The Beatles rocker announced a new North American leg of his tour on Thursday. He’ll play Hamilton’s TD Coliseum on Nov. 21. McCartney’s is the first show coming to the newly named and renovated venue. Tickets go on sale […]
Sentencing for Sean (Diddy) Combs set for October
Sean (Diddy) Combs will be sentenced in his federal criminal case on Oct. 3, a judge said Tuesday, after probation officials rejected the defence and prosecution’s plan to move the date up by about two weeks. Combs, who remains jailed after a split verdict last week, spoke briefly to his lawyer Marc Agnifilo during a virtual […]
Superman has a problem — and it’s not the film’s commentary on immigration
Superman is in trouble. I mean, that is if we are to take the introductory title cards to the new Superman instalment seriously. Because to trust them, he’s facing a raft of problems. First of all, it’s been three decades since an alien baby named Kal-El fell to planet Earth, three years since Superman (David Corenswet) […]
TikTok Canada halts sponsorships at TIFF, Junos and other arts groups
TikTok says it’s pulling out as a sponsor of several Canadian arts institutions, including the Juno Awards and the Toronto International Film Festival, as it prepares to comply with a federal order to shut down operations in Canada. Since opening offices in Toronto and Vancouver, TikTok says it has invested millions in programs and partnerships supporting local artists and creators over […]
Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron leaving band after 27 years
After nearly three decades, Pearl Jam’s drummer Matt Cameron says he is stepping down from the band. “Much love and respect to Jeff [Ament], Ed [Vedder], Mike [McCready] and Stone [Gossard] for inviting me into the band in 1998 and for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime, filled with friendships, artistry, challenges and laughter,” […]
Coldplay fans concerned about new Rogers Stadium ahead of band’s Toronto shows
Coldplay fans are gearing up to watch the band perform this week in Toronto, but some say they are concerned after mixed reviews about the concert’s venue, Rogers Stadium. The new 50,000-seat open-air venue in north Toronto will host the British rock band for four performances taking place between Monday and Saturday. Maria Strachan, who is going to […]
How a Canadian’s AI hoax duped the media and propelled a ‘band’ to streaming success
A Canadian who duped journalists in an elaborate AI music hoax says he apologizes to anyone hurt by his experiment but that it’s been “too fascinating” to turn away from. A man using the pseudonym Andrew Frelon posed as the spokesperson for a band called The Velvet Sundown — which he later said he had no involvement with — creating […]
Julian McMahon, actor of Fantastic Four, Charmed and Nip/Tuck fame, dead at 56
Julian McMahon, an Australia-born actor who appeared in two Fantastic Four films and TV shows such as Charmed, Nip/Tuck and Profiler, has died, his wife said in a statement. McMahon, 56, died peacefully this week after a battle with cancer, Kelly McMahon said in a statement provided to The Associated Press by his Beverly Hills, Calif.-based publicist. […]
Mr. Dressup actor and musician Beverly Glenn-Copeland brings ‘pure love’ back to the screen with kids TV pilot
When Beverly Glenn-Copeland and his partner Elizabeth first conceived of a new children’s TV show a few years ago, they set out to teach kids about caring for the planet, the importance of community and adapting to change. A few years into the process, after a vision was developed, characters were fleshed out and a […]
Oasis kick off long-awaited reunion tour in Wales
Oasis ended a 16-year hiatus on Friday with a punchy, powerful trip through one of Britpop’s greatest songbooks, kicking off a reunion tour in Cardiff, Wales, to a crowd ecstatic for the band’s 1990s hits. And was there brotherly love between the famously feuding Gallagher siblings? Definitely maybe. Fans travelled to the Welsh capital from […]
Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill actor Michael Madsen dead at 67
Michael Madsen, whose menacing characters in Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill made him a standout in Quentin Tarantino’s films, has died. He was 67. Madsen was found unresponsive in his home in Malibu, Calif., on Thursday morning and pronounced dead, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Watch Cmdr. Christopher Jauregui said. He is believed to have died of natural causes and […]
What is the essence of cool? A global study narrows it down to 6 key traits
As It Happens5:44What is the essence of cool? Study narrows it down to 6 key traits Cool is cool, no matter where you are in the world. That’s the conclusion of a new study that surveyed nearly 6,000 people in 13 different countries about what makes a person cool, and found the answers to be […]
What the Diddy verdict could mean for the rap mogul — and the entertainment industry at large
After a landmark case spanning weeks of witness testimony and arguments, rap mogul and entrepreneur Sean (Diddy) Combs got his verdict. After returning Wednesday morning, the jury announced their findings: Combs was guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, and not guilty of two counts of sex trafficking and one count of conspiracy. Those […]
Canadian Denis Villeneuve to direct next James Bond movie
Denis Villeneuve is going from Dune to Bond. AmazonMGM announced Wednesday that the Canadian will direct the next James Bond movie. The untitled film will be the first since the studio took creative reins of the storied film franchise after decades of control by the Broccoli family. Producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman had maintained that before […]
BTS confirms return, announcing new music and a world tour coming in 2026
Their reunion? It’s smooth like butter. The K-pop septet BTS will return in spring 2026 with a new album and world tour. Members Jin, RM, V, Jimin, J-Hope, Jung Kook and Suga made the announcement Tuesday during a livestream on Weverse, an online fan platform owned by BTS management company Hybe. It was the first […]
Jury returns for second day of deliberations in Sean (Diddy) Combs’s sex trafficking trial
A jury returned Tuesday to deliberate for a second day at hip-hop mogul Sean (Diddy) Combs’s federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial. Jurors were back behind closed doors weighing whether prosecutors proved the charges at a trial that began in early May. Combs’s lawyers and prosecutors, meanwhile, began the day wrangling in the courtroom with Judge […]
U.K. police say Bob Vylan, Kneecap gigs at Glastonbury subject to criminal investigation
U.K. police say the weekend performances by rap punk duo Bob Vylan and Irish-language band Kneecap are subject to a criminal investigation after chants calling for “death” to the Israeli military and chants of “Free Palestine” at the Glastonbury Festival. Police on Monday said the performances “have been recorded as a public order incident.” Meanwhile, the […]
Jury in Sean (Diddy) Combs’s sex trafficking trial starts deliberating
WARNING: This story contains allegations of sexual violence and may affect those who have experienced it or know someone affected by it. Jurors started deliberating Monday in Sean (Diddy) Combs’s sex trafficking case, weighing charges that could put the hip-hop mogul in prison for life. After receiving legal instructions from federal Judge Arun Subramanian for more […]
Montreal-based rom-com Mile End Kicks set to make debut at TIFF
A rom-com about a love triangle set in Montreal’s music scene is among the films making their world premieres at the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. Mile End Kicks, from Toronto director Chandler Levack, stars Barbie Ferreira as a young music critic who moves to Montreal in 2011 to write a book […]
A music librarian brought Stephen Sondheim to tears — and got him to bequeath his life’s work
As It Happens6:29A music librarian brought Stephen Sondheim to tears — and got him to bequeath his life’s work Mark Horowitz is quite proud that he made Stephen Sondheim cry. He’s even more proud that, in doing so, he convinced the late musical theatre legend to bequeath his vast archive of manuscripts, sheet music, recordings, […]
Indigenous-led projects are landing hits and winning awards. How are they making inroads?
Cody Lightning is far from alone. First of all, the Edmonton-based creator is surrounded by fellow community members on the set of Smudge the Blades, his upcoming film about hockey, growing up and Indigenous identity. But he’s also part of a wave of new Indigenous talent — a raft of creators crafting a host of […]
Did ‘bean mouth’ really kill Pixar’s Elio at the box office?
Why did Pixar’s Elio put up the worst numbers in the studio’s history in its opening weekend? The reasons professionals give for the sci-fi family movie’s paltry $35 million US global box-office earning vary. But if you ask the internet, there’s a far simpler issue at play. “Nobody wants the bean mouth style of character design,” wrote one reader when commenting on a […]
Vogue’s Anna Wintour exits editor-in-chief post, but remains brand’s global boss
Anna Wintour is stepping down as Vogue editor-in-chief but will retain editorial control over the storied magazine. The longtime Vogue powerhouse told staff Thursday she’s seeking a head of editorial content to handle more of the day-to-day operations. But she’s holding on to plenty of power to keep her a force at the magazine that […]
Love Island USA tells viewers to stop harassing contestants: ‘Remember they’re real people’
Where’s the love? Love Island USA — currently in its seventh season and the most-watched streaming reality show in the U.S. — has issued a rare and serious warning to its many fans that harassing its contestants will not be tolerated. This comes as viewers have increasingly criticized the show’s cast members online. The attacks amped up […]
Lalo Schifrin, who wrote endlessly catchy Mission: Impossible theme, dead at 93
Lalo Schifrin, the composer who wrote the endlessly catchy theme for Mission: Impossible and more than 100 other arrangements for film and television, died Thursday. He was 93. Schifrin’s sons, William and Ryan, confirmed his death to media. Messages from The Associated Press to Schifrin’s publicist and representatives for the brothers were not immediately returned. The Argentine composer won four […]
How Labubus became a viral obsession — and fuelled a ‘blind box’ industry
The Current12:28Everyone wants a Labubu! …a what? What if buying a toy felt like playing the lottery? For Labubu fans, blind box products turn shopping into a game of chance — and thrill. Sold in sealed packages that conceal which Labubu is inside, the collectibles have sparked viral unboxing videos, long lineups and even store […]
Why Marge Simpson’s death suddenly has viewers talking about The Simpsons again
Crack open a Duff beer and pour one out for Marge Simpson, the blue-haired, raspy-voiced matriarch of The Simpsons who has left behind her beloved but sometimes dysfunctional family. Don’t fire off the emails about spoilers just yet. News of Marge’s death in the recent season finale may suddenly be trending, but it’s likely not […]
6 sizzling books to add to your summer reading list
Nathan Maharaj, left, and Christine Estima make up the The Next Chapter’s summer book panel for 2025. (Nathan Maharaj, Panther Sohi) The Next Chapter25:13What books to bring on your trip this summer Whether your go-to summer reading spot is by the pool, the lake, or your favourite park bench, The Next Chapter has you covered. […]
Sean (Diddy) Combs’s sex trafficking trial is nearing its end. Here’s how it played out
WARNING: This story contains allegations of sexual violence and may affect those who have experienced it or know someone affected by it. Prosecutors in the sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial of hip hop mogul Sean (Diddy) Combs have rested their case after calling 34 witnesses to testify over the course of more than six weeks. The music […]
4 years after vanishing, painting at heart of $11M lawsuit re-emerges — but mystery far from over
When his lawyer’s name flashed on his phone early last month, Michael Murray ducked out to answer the call — the physician was in the middle of seeing patients at his medical clinic in Hawaii, but this call from Toronto felt important. It turns out it was. The lawyer said: “You’re not going to believe it, but […]
Jaws attacked 50 years ago, changing how we look at movies — and sharks
Summers have never been quite the same since June 20, 1975, and it’s all thanks to a “mindless eating machine” that terrorized moviegoers and beachgoers alike. That was the day Jaws hit theatres, ushering in the era of the summer blockbuster and becoming a pop culture phenomenon that still resonates 50 years later. Steven Spielberg’s classic tale of a great white […]
Superman can do almost anything. And that’s one reason his movies have struggled
Superman returns to the big screen this summer, as DC Studios tries to reinvigorate the film fortunes of its iconic do-gooder. But that’s not an easy task, despite studio investment of at least $225 million US in Superman, which hits theatres on July 11 starring David Corenswet. Because, for all his powers, Superman has struggled as […]
How music fuelled, and was fuelled by, the No Kings protests
If you were online last week, you probably saw footage from the No Kings protests. The gigantic demonstration against U.S. President Donald Trump took place across the United States and portions of Canada — but was connected by one prevailing aspect: music. There was Les Miserables‘s rousing Do You Hear the People Sing?, sung by a crowd in […]
All 7 members of K-pop band BTS have finished military service, with Suga discharged
Suga, a rapper and songwriter in the global K-pop sensation BTS, has been discharged from South Korea’s mandatory military service, marking the official return of all seven members from their enlistment duties. The label confirmed that Suga completed his alternative service duties on Wednesday after using up his remaining leave. His official discharge date is […]
Singer Chris Brown pleads not guilty in U.K. nightclub assault case
Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown pleaded not guilty Friday to a charge related to the serious beating of a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023. Wearing a blue suit, white shirt and black-rimmed glasses, Brown, 36, was arraigned in London’s Southwark Crown Court on one count of attempting to unlawfully and maliciously cause grievous bodily harm […]
Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders’ 400% raise is a reminder of how little female athletes get paid
If you’re among the millions who have been riveted by America’s Sweethearts, Netflix’s docuseries about the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, then you already know that the 36 women who make the squad are nothing less than pro athletes. Most come from studio-trained dance backgrounds. They endure gruelling training programs and have to meet intense physical demands — their trademark kick-line […]
Elio is Pixar’s best, most beautifully brilliant movie in a decade. Too bad it will probably bomb
As a film, Elio is gorgeous. In short, it’s a somehow equal parts miraculous and original wonder — so good it feels a bit out of place among a summer of adaptations, remakes, sequels and remakes of adaptations of sequels. Perhaps not that last one. But it is hard to ignore the benefits of Elio: Pixar’s animation style (which seemed stuck in a […]
Anne Burrell, TV chef and coach on Worst Cooks in America, dead at 55
TV chef Anne Burrell, who coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of Worst Cooks in America, died Tuesday at her New York home. She was 55. The Food Network, where Burrell began her two-decade television career on Iron Chef America and went on to other shows, confirmed her death. The cause was not immediately clear, and […]
Tyler Perry accused of sexual assault, harassment by actor who worked on his TV series The Oval
An actor who worked on the Tyler Perry-created TV drama The Oval has filed a lawsuit alleging Perry leveraged his industry power to repeatedly sexually assault and harass him while keeping him quiet. The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by actor Derek Dixon, who appeared on 85 episodes of the BET series, seeks at […]
Brad Pitt’s F1 movie is formulaic. But after all, this is Formula 1
Watching Brad Pitt’s new racing movie, F1 The Movie, I am a bit like a Labrador at the beach. Because as I try to follow the racing rules, overdone plot beats and famous faces, I am generally confused, have no idea what anyone is doing, am more than a little annoyed by the music and will […]
Netflix’s Trainwreck doc revisits Rob Ford’s chaotic mayoral run and public struggles
Shianne Brown still remembers her disbelief when she heard, half a world away, that Toronto mayor Rob Ford had been caught on video smoking crack cocaine. “What the hell is happening in Toronto? That’s crazy,” the filmmaker from London, England, recalls thinking when the news broke in 2013. The late mayor quickly became an international […]
Doctor charged with giving Friends star Matthew Perry ketamine agrees to plead guilty
A doctor charged with giving Matthew Perry ketamine in the months leading up to the Friends star’s overdose death has agreed to plead guilty, a plea agreement filed Monday shows. Dr. Salvador Plasencia has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine, according to the signed document filed in federal court in Los […]
Khaby Lame has the most followers on TikTok. ICE detained him — and now he’s left the U.S.
Khaby Lame, the world’s most popular TikTok personality with millions of followers, has left the U.S. after being detained by immigration agents in Las Vegas for allegedly overstaying his visa. The Senegalese-Italian influencer, whose legal name is Serigne Khabane Lame, was detained Friday at Harry Reid International Airport but was allowed to leave the country […]
Nintendo’s Switch 2 sets early sales records. Its future is less certain
Day 610:09Nintendo Switch 2 promises to be an improvement on the bestselling original console, but it’ll cost you At first glance, Nintendo’s new Switch 2 looks a lot like the last one — a handheld device that easily connects to your TV. It’s a little bigger, a little heavier and comes in a sleek all-black […]
Kendrick Lamar gets 2-minute ovation after performing Drake diss track in Toronto
Kendrick Lamar stepped onto Drake’s turf Thursday, playing his first concert in Toronto since the rift between the music superstars went into hyperdrive last year. For the most part, the Los Angeles rapper didn’t fan the flames of his feud, even if some ticketholders hoped he might douse the conflict in gasoline. Instead, Lamar mostly took […]
As disinformation and hate thrive online, YouTube quietly changed how it moderates content
YouTube, the world’s largest video platform, appears to have changed its moderation policies to allow more content that violates its own rules to remain online. The change happened quietly in December, according to The New York Times, which reviewed training documents for moderators indicating that a video could stay online if the offending material did […]
Canadian producer Bob Ezrin on elevating Pink Floyd, taming KISS and leaving the U.S. behind
Bob Ezrin’s resumé is as impressive as it is diverse. Over his five-decade career, the legendary Canadian music producer has worked with dozens of artists, from Alice Cooper and Jane’s Addiction to Taylor Swift and Andrea Bocelli. “Most people don’t understand what I do for a living,” he told CBC’s Ian Hanomansing in a wide-ranging […]
May the Schwartz be with you! Spaceballs sequel set for 2027 — with Bill Pullman and Rick Moranis
This is not a drill, movie fans! A Spaceballs sequel is in the works and set for release in 2027 — with three of its original stars reprising their roles in the cult classic 40 years after the original release. Actor Mel Brooks surprised fans on Friday with a video announcing the return of the 1987 parody […]
The Life of Chuck — for better or worse — dances to the end of the world
The Life of Chuck is a film told in reverse. This is not an especially novel conceit — we are most of us years past the days of sitting in friends’ basements, staring in slack jawed, smoke-clouded awe at the end of Memento. But neither are the various other conceits of this latest Stephen King […]
Beach Boys visionary Brian Wilson dead at 82
Brian Wilson, whose virtuoso vocal and musical arrangements led the Beach Boys to commercial and critical success, making them one of America’s most influential bands, has died. The death of Wilson, who would have turned 83 next week, was announced by his family on his social media platforms, though they did not specify exactly when […]
Harvey Weinstein guilty on 1 charge, acquitted on another in sex crimes retrial
Former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was convicted in Manhattan on Wednesday of one of the top charges in his sex crimes retrial but acquitted of another, and jurors were as yet unable to reach a verdict on a third charge. The split verdict meted out a measure of vindication to his accusers and prosecutors — […]
Disney and Universal sue AI firm Midjourney for copyright infringement
Disney and Universal have filed a copyright lawsuit against popular artificial intelligence image-generator Midjourney, marking the first time major Hollywood companies have entered the legal battle over generative AI. Filed in federal district court in Los Angeles on Wednesday, the complaint claims Midjourney pirated the libraries of the two Hollywood studios to generate and distribute […]
How to Train Your Dragon: We can get one good live-action adaptation. As a treat
There are legitimate reasons to remake a movie. There are the remakes of old, unnoticed hidden gems — like 1999’s Scarface or 2021’s West Side Story — reinterpreted for modern audiences. There are the re-imaginings of non-English-language fare that, as in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, still find something new to say. And then, there are remakes like O Brother Where Art […]
Frederick Forsyth, author of The Day of the Jackal, The Shepherd, dead at 86
Frederick Forsyth, the British author of The Day of the Jackal and other bestselling thrillers, has died after a brief illness, his literary agent said Monday. He was 86. Jonathan Lloyd, his agent, said Forsyth died at home early Monday surrounded by his family. “We mourn the passing of one of the world’s greatest thriller […]
Video game actors, companies reach tentative deal to end nearly year-long strike over AI
The union for Hollywood’s video game performers has reached a tentative contract with several video game companies, which may bring an end to an almost year-long strike tied to the use of artificial intelligence. Members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists went on strike in July 2024 after negotiations with game […]
Sly Stone, of the iconic band Sly and the Family Stone, dead at age 82
Sylvester Stewart, who as leader of Sly and the Family Stone served up an intoxicating alchemy of soul, rock and R&B to pave the way for funk music’s heyday, has died. He was 82 years old. The musician’s family confirmed his death in a statement shared with CBC News. “It is with profound sadness that we […]
Tony Awards laud android rom-com Maybe Happy Ending and history-making Purpose
Maybe Happy Ending, a rom-com musical about androids that crackles with humanity, had a definite happy ending at Sunday’s Tony Awards. It won best new musical on a night when Kara Young made history as the first Black person to win two Tonys consecutively, for Purpose, which also won best new play. Helen J Shen, left, and […]
Legendary rapper Snoop Dogg performs ahead of B.C. Lions home opener
The B.C. Lions have kicked off their CFL season with a concert by legendary rapper Snoop Dogg. The 35-minute performance came before the Lions hosted the Edmonton Elks in their first game of the season. Snoop Dogg performed several of his hits, including “P.I.M.P.,” “Gin and Juice,,” and “Drop it Like it’s Hot,” plus abbreviated versions of songs he has […]
A knighthood is coming for soon-to-be Sir David Beckham, according to media reports
David Beckham, the former England soccer captain who has been an ambassador for the UN children’s fund for two decades, is to receive a knighthood in next week’s honours list from King Charles III, according to U.K. media reports Friday. Without citing sources, BBC said Beckham is set to receive further recognition both for his soccer […]
Police investigating if homophobia played a role in King of the Hill actor’s killing
Investigators are looking into whether the sexual orientation of King of the Hill voice actor Jonathan Joss played a role in his shooting death in Texas, authorities said Thursday, walking back a previous statement about the potential motive. Joss’s husband has claimed the person who killed the actor yelled “violent homophobic slurs” before opening fire outside […]
A-ha singer Morten Harket diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
Morten Harket, the lead singer of Norwegian band A-ha, whose Take On Me track remains one of the most popular songs from the 1980s, said on Wednesday that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In a statement on the band’s website, and confirmed by record label Sony Music, Harket, 65, said he had undergone several rounds of brain surgery […]
CBC’s Heather Hiscox to sign off after 20 years hosting national morning news
Heather Hiscox will say good morning to loyal CBC News viewers for the last time this fall, as she steps away from the anchor desk after 20 years as host of CBC Morning Live on CBC News Network. The veteran broadcaster, who announced her retirement on Wednesday morning at CBC’s 2025-26 season preview, says revealing her decision […]
TIFF 2025 to open with documentary on Canadian comedian John Candy
The 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is set to open with a documentary celebrating Canadian comedy legend John Candy. John Candy: I Like Me, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, will have its world premiere on Sep. 4 at Roy Thomson Hall. The documentary will feature the Toronto-raised comedian and actor’s […]
Why people are so mad about that Lilo & Stitch ending
WARNING: This story contains significant spoilers for both the original Lilo & Stitch and its remake. When it comes to dollars and cents, Disney’s Lilo &Stitch live-action remake hasn’t hit any speed-bumps. In fact, it’s more like the little blue guy has hit the NOS. But if you pay much attention to the Internet, things haven’t been so […]
Harvey Weinstein’s sex crimes retrial is coming to a close. Here’s what you need to know
WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it. Jurors will soon weigh the case against former movie studio boss Harvey Weinstein, who is standing trial for a second time in New York on sexual assault charges. The trial, which began in a Manhattan criminal court on April 23, moved […]
Is your favourite show CanCon enough? Here’s why the definition of Canadian content may get a reboot
What’s your favourite bit of CanCon? Maybe Schitt’s Creek, which aired on CBC but also streamed on Netflix, comes to mind. Perhaps some iteration of Anne of Green Gables. Or maybe a classic David Cronenberg flick like Dead Ringers? These are all considered to be CanCon — shorthand for Canadian content, it refers to film and television productions made […]
Actor Jonathan Joss, known for King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation, fatally shot in Texas
Jonathan Joss, an actor best known for his voice work on the animated television series King of the Hill, as well as a role on Parks and Recreation, was fatally shot near his Texas home, authorities said Monday. Police were dispatched to a home in south San Antonio at about 7 p.m. Sunday over a call about a […]
Trump biopic The Apprentice takes home top film award at Canadian Screen Awards
The divisive, little-seen yet still-controversial Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice managed to grab the brass ring on Sunday, taking home the top award of best motion picture at the final night of the Canadian Screen Awards. It beat out stiff competition in that top category from filmmaker Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language, which made the Academy […]
Concerts can cost big bucks. Can ticket insurance protect your investment?
Cost of Living4:21Concert tickets are so pricey. you can now get them insured Ariana Rendon says Kendrick Lamar is one of her favourite rappers of all time. So when he was playing in New York City, where Rendon lives, she had to get a ticket. But tickets to see big acts like Lamar are expensive. […]
Taylor Swift regains control of her music, buying back first 6 albums
Taylor Swift has regained control over her entire body of work. In a lengthy note posted to her official website on Friday, Swift announced: “All of the music I’ve ever made now belongs to me.” “I can’t thank you enough for helping to reunite me with this art that I have dedicated my life to, […]
Loretta Swit, MASH star and 2-time Emmy winner, dead at 87
Loretta Swit, who won two Emmy Awards playing Major Margaret Houlihan, the demanding head nurse of a behind-the-lines surgical unit during the Korean War on the hit TV series MASH, has died. She was 87. Publicist Harlan Boll says Swit died Friday at her home in New York City, likely from natural causes. Swit and Alan […]
Mississippi town at heart of Sinners refused to be left out of the movie’s success
As It Happens6:16Mississippi town at heart of Sinners hosts public screening with Ryan Coogler The Mississippi town of Clarksdale is, in many ways, the heart and soul of the movie Sinners. But, until this week, its residents had no way to benefit from the film’s massive success at the box office. In fact, many of […]
Who is the next James Bond? It’s anyone’s guess. But a luxury watchmaker just shifted the odds
The rumour mill is both shaken and stirred at the prospect of the next James Bond star being inadvertently — maybe — leaked. Speculation has been swirling online in recent days that British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the star of films like 2024’s Kraven the Hunter and the 2022 hit Bullet Train, is poised to take on the role of […]
Marble bust of rock legend Jim Morrison found, 37 years after it disappeared
As It Happens5:26Marble bust of rock legend Jim Morrison found, 37 years after it disappeared A marble bust of rock legend Jim Morrison vanished without a trace in 1988, leaving behind only rumours, speculation and a mystery that baffled fans for decades. Now, 37 years later, it’s finally been found — unexpectedly uncovered in Paris during an entirely […]
Hailey Bieber sells makeup brand Rhode to Elf Beauty in $1B deal
Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s makeup and skincare brand, is being snapped up by Elf Beauty for about $1 billion US, giving the budget cosmetic retailer access to a celebrity-endorsed product line that has become hugely popular among Gen Z and millennials. Elf said on Wednesday it would pay Rhode shareholders $800 million US in a combination […]
The Handmaid’s Tale is over after 6 seasons, but our obsession with dystopian TV will go on
If there’s one thing you can expect from a dystopian series like The Handmaid’s Tale it’s that it won’t wrap up neatly with a pretty bow. The show, based on Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s acclaimed 1985 novel and shot largely in and around Toronto, has come to an end. The final episode dropped on the streaming service Crave in Canada […]
At Sean (Diddy) Combs trial, ex-employee testifies she was threatened, kidnapped
WARNING: This story contains allegations of sexual violence and may affect those who have experienced it or know someone affected by it. A former top aide to Sean (Diddy) Combs testified Tuesday at his sex trafficking trial that the music mogul threatened her with death on her first day on the job and later kidnapped her at gunpoint as he sought to […]
At 95, Canadian artist and naturalist Robert Bateman still paints every day
Canadian artist and naturalist Robert Bateman celebrated his 95th birthday on May 24 — and while many would have considered retirement long ago, slowing down hasn’t crossed his mind. Bateman is still showing his work at solo exhibitions and international shows, painting every day and enjoying the nature surrounding his Salt Spring Island, B.C., home, […]
Canadian rock star Max Kerman explains why he wrote a memoir — and why creativity matters now more than ever
The Next Chapter24:12Arkells’ Max Kerman isn’t afraid to be a try-hard For two decades, the Canadian rock band Arkells have been making music, winning Junos and touring the globe. Now, lead singer Max Kerman offers an inside look into life in a band and breaks down the nuts and bolts of building a music career in […]
Singer Chris Brown free on bail while awaiting trial over alleged London nightclub attack
A British judge ordered Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown released on 5-million-pound ($9.3 million Cdn) bail on Wednesday while facing allegations he beat and seriously injured a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023. The decision by a judge in Southwark Crown Court revives Brown’s world tour, which was cast in doubt when […]
Back up the money truck: Lilo & Stitch remake dumbs down a masterpiece
In deciding whether 2002’s Lilo & Stitch or the new CGI-aided remake might be more enjoyable to sit down and watch, we surprisingly have a sort of case study to refer back to. It can be found in one of the strangest cases of accidental plagiarism in history: the fact that the world has two iterations […]
David Attenborough’s Ocean documentary has a scene straight out of Dune
Like a massive, skulking sandworm out of Frank Herbert’s Dune, there exists an inescapable maw where all in its destructive path — from fish struggling to flee to crabs tangled up in the nets — are doomed. But this isn’t the desert planet Arrakis, it’s Earth — and the beast is a bottom trawler, grinding the […]
Iranian revenge thriller It Was Just an Accident wins Palme d’Or at Cannes
Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi’s revenge thriller It Was Just an Accident won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, handing the festival’s top prize to a director who had been banned from leaving Iran for more than 15 years. Cate Blanchett presented the award to Panahi, who three years ago was […]
Billy Joel cancels all concerts after brain disorder diagnosis
U.S. singer-songwriter and pianist Billy Joel said Friday he is cancelling all his scheduled concerts — including a stop in Toronto — after he was recently diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a brain disorder. The 76-year-old singer is undergoing physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing while he recovers, according to a statement on social […]
Paris court finds 8 guilty in 2016 Kim Kardashian robbery, but none will face prison time
A Paris court on Friday found the ringleader and seven other people guilty in the robbery of Kim Kardashian at her residence in the French capital in 2016. But none of them will face prison time. The court acquitted two of the 10 defendants. The sentences being read out by the court president range from […]
Canadian says his TV pitch portrayed as Hunger Games for U.S. migrants was misrepresented
When Rob Worsoff recently dusted off an old idea he had for a reality television show about people on the path to United States citizenship, he had no idea of what he was letting himself in for. The Canadian-born freelance television producer said he brought his pitch to build a show around aspiring immigrants learning […]





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